With Super Bowl LXI still nine months away, Disney has already started slashing its ad rates. The entertainment giant originally demanded $10 million for a 30-second commercial slot, but according to Variety's Brian Steinberg, that price tag was quickly deemed “unrealistic” by the industry. Now, Disney is backing off, selling more than a dozen spots for around $9 million each and even entertaining counteroffers.
This isn't the usual Super Bowl ad frenzy. Sales have been slower than in recent years, and Disney's aggressive initial pricing has raised eyebrows across the ad world. The company's progress toward a sell-out has been sluggish, but there's still plenty of time before the big game on Feb. 14, 2027.
Despite the pricing hiccup, ESPN remains bullish on the event. At the Disney Upfront earlier this month, ESPN's Laura Rutledge predicted Super Bowl LXI will be the most-watched Super Bowl ever. Joe Buck echoed that sentiment, calling it the “biggest day in ESPN history.”
“I can’t wait to do it next year. We’re doing it next year at ABC/ESPN…it’s going to be the biggest day in ESPN history, I think, with what’s on the line,” Buck said, via Awful Announcing. “To get back into that rotation for Troy and me. There’s no day like it. And in broadcasting, to talk into a microphone and know there’s that many people on the other end – 94 percent of which are not listening to one word you’re saying, they want to watch the commercials and see if their bet worked – but it’s really cool.”
For context, the Super Bowl has long been the crown jewel of TV advertising, with companies shelling out record sums for a few seconds of airtime. But this year's slower start suggests that even the biggest event in sports isn't immune to market pressures. The shift also comes amid a broader trend of growing competition from other mega-events like the FIFA World Cup, which are drawing massive audiences and ad dollars.
Disney's move to lower prices could signal a new reality for Super Bowl advertising, where even the most coveted slots face tougher negotiations. But for now, the network is still on track for a historic broadcast day, with ABC and ESPN set to air the game together. The network is also planning dual Spanish-language broadcasts in partnership with TelevisaUnivision, a first for the Super Bowl.
As the countdown continues, all eyes will be on whether Disney can sell the remaining inventory at these lower prices—or if they'll have to drop them even further. Either way, advertisers are getting a rare bargain on the biggest stage in sports.
